The Loma Portal strip…
(oh, wait - wrong type of strip)
LOL. Yeah.
Up north, both Coast Highway in Encinitas up through Leucadia and up in Oceanside, are starting to get some very decent restaurants. My only fear is, that at least in Encinitas, the area is starting to become a little too PBish. When I look at the Encinitas crime reports, most of the arrests in the city are for alcohol or narcotic violations, and most of those arrests are along the Coast Highway corridor.
Oh, I must beg to differ:
Please, oh please, please may I differ?
I think Fish Public flopped because of reasons other than the location. Bleu Boheme has thrived, and even recovered from a bit of a rocky start. People line up for hours at Ponces (it’s good, but come on!)-same with Antique Row Cafe (is that it??) so there’s clearly $ and population to support the right concept.
Actually, I’ve never really understood why there aren’t quite a few good places to dine in Kensington. The three-block area on Adams on both sides of the little park has just the right character to it. And as you say, the demographics are in place. Yes, there are a couple of decent spots (never been to Ponces), but it’s just never reached critical mass. I don’t think of those three blocks as a “strip” like the others people have mentioned. So it’s a bit of a mystery. People used to say that Kensington was the land of moms and baby carriages, but the kids in those baby carriages have long since grown up. Not sure why Kensington doesn’t have more restaurant action now. I really did think that Fish Public was going to be a hit – I was hoping it would – and that that would finally precipitate the appearance of more restaurants in the same area. I really like Kensington and wish this would happen. So I was disappointed when it didn’t work out. I agree that it wasn’t the location that killed it, but the fact that it did fail (it had a good pedigree) may discourage others.
The plan (as I understand it) is to create another Cucina Urbana-type concept, which I suspect will have a problem- getting a table.
I further suspect Blue Boheme (Like Hexagone across the street from CU) will do well on the patrons turned away from Kensington CU.
Huh. I don’t recall having heard about that. In the same location as Fish Public?
P.S. OK, I found this on Eater from last October.
Pardon My French has opened in the space formerly occupied by Heat in North Park.
I may have missed something, but is “Cucina Urbana – Kensingon” still in the works? Is it open?
Lots of new places imminently opening. Pokirrito (Convoy), Vigilante Brewing (Del Mar), The Taco Stand (La Jolla), One Door North (North Park), and Fireside by the Patio (Liberty Station).
Maybe a new thread title is needed?
Cucina Sorella should open in April/May
Drove by the old Ken Grill space last night. It is currently boarded up for renovations. Expected opening is later this Spring.
I believe you once took it upon yourself to start an appropriate thread. Here is your chance to repeat.
You mean this one?
Me thinks people (moi included) just can’t discern the difference between 5 and 6.
Can’t wait.
Char House just opened up off of Balboa, in between Convoy and Ruffner next to the Chevron station. I’ll echo what Kirk tweeted out this morning in that it’s the best pho I’ve had in Kearny Mesa. Super super beefy broth, but still very bright (if I have one complaint it’s a tad sweet which is weird), and they’re not stingy at all with the cow parts. Seriously though, the broth is unlike any other pho broth I’ve had, in a good way. Curious to also try their other stuff… the shrimp spring rolls were delicious, but I also want to try their meat skewers and some of their house specials.
1 Like
I’m on my way, ASAP. Probably tomorrow.
What kind of pho did you have?
I just got the pho dac biet. Normally I’m more of a bo kho (beef stew) kind of person, but whenever I’m trying to judge a new Vietnamese restaurant I just go for the everything pho to establish a baseline and to see how they treat their broth.
I’m also a fan of pho bo kho, but will order the pho dac biet at Char House, as you did, and for the same reason. Thanks for the reply. (Why do I want to say, “Chart House”???)
By the way, the best pho bo kho I’ve had (so far) in the SD area is at Pho Hung Cali in Chula Vista. Worth trying if you’re down there.
1 Like